CNN and Facebook Partner to Create an Interactive, Social Election

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Coverage of November's presidential election has already become a regularly reported topic for most news outlets. However, with the announcement of the partnering of CNN and Facebook to create the most "interactive and social" election experience the nation has ever seen, the excitement surrounding the campaign has sufficiently increased. This decision will undoubtedly get the nation more involved in the campaign and encourage those that do not normally pay much attention to tune in and voice their opinions on political matters.

In this agreement, both CNN and Facebook will benefit immensely. CNN has hit an all-time 21 year low in their ratings and have been awaiting the opportunity to converge their TV and digital presence for quite some time now. They have predicted that the 2012 Election will be both an efficient and seamless transition into this newly popular media outlet because it will unite CNN's on-air, mobile, and online audiences with Facebook's over 160 million US users. Facebook will see great profitability because they will now be equipped with sought-after date regarding the nation's political thoughts and feelings that political scientists and data collectors will be willing to attain for years to come.

The most influential aspect of this agreement is the new "I'm Voting" app that has been created. This application will allow users to show their support for certain candidates and voice opinions regarding various topics publicly on Facebook Timelines, news feeds, and the real-time ticker. CNN is hoping tht this will encourage others to participate that would not normally do so. 

Additionally, Facebook will soon begin to issue surveys to those users of voting-age in crucial US locations. These metrics will be measured and CNN will further break it down by specific state to state analysis. CNN hopes that this will increase the national exchange of ideas. Furthermore, they anticipate  that users will interact through the usage of  the "I'm Voting" app while various topics are being discussed on television which will ultimately make the election an entirely interactive experience for all.

Although I am not sure how I feel about having political surveys appear on my Facebook timeline, I can already foresee the heated discussions it will encourage among my outspoken Facebook friends. As a person who probably is not as in-tuned to the political world as I should be, this could be an extremely beneficial change. As Joel Kaplan, Facebook Vice President-U.S Public Policy stated, "Innovations like Facebook can help transform informational experience into a social one for the American people". With the impact social media has already proven to have on various campaigns, this partnership will indisputably change the way the nation regards political discussions leading up to a presidential election.